Book binding or covering machine



p i 1930. A. BREDENBERG 1,755,237

BOOKBINDING OR COVERING MACHINE 7 Filed Nov. 14, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR ATTORNEYS,

*BYWKM 8 W ATTORNEYS 4 Sheet-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 14, 1927 A. BREDENBERG BOOKBINDING OR COVERING v MACHINE April 22, 1930.

April 22, 1930. BREDENBERG 1,755,237

' BOOKBINDING OR COVERING MACHINE Filed Nov. 14, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOFI ATTORNEYS.

Abril 22, 1930. A. BREDENBERG 3 BOQKBINDING OR COVERING MACHINE I Filed Nov. 14, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVNTOQ W 9 I BY 8! WWHJATTORNEYS.

{1O 7 the'machine' while each' 'of'the successive I Patented Apr. 122, 1930 nnrREDBREDEnnERe, on mimmm; nEw YonK,nssrenonor ONE-HALF TO THE- SHERIDAN" rnoiv Worms, A CORPORATION or NEW YORK, AND ONE-HALF T. we a can. SHERIDAN COMPANY, A CORPORATION or new YORK PATENT FF CE;

13001: BINDING on COVERING MAcHiNE Application filed November 14, 1927. Serial lilo. 233,105.

' This invention relatesto bookbinding or covering machines, such as are used for performing the'various' operations in the manu iac'ture ofbooks, pamphlets, padsand the like; and relates more particularly to'the type of machine" exemplified bymy prior Patent 1,248,252, granted November 27,1917 wherein a successionof books is carried along progressively by means'lof' a conveyor or. carrying mechanism moving continuously through V 1 books is operated upon by the several mechanisms which perform the desired operations thereupon, such for example as trimnnng,

gluing, the application of fabric strips or I supers, orof paper or other covers, followed by the shaplng or breaking of the covers.

' The general object of the present invention is to improve the coordination of the several with the advancing travel conveyor'tha't car-i elements of the rmachine, and especially to aiiord exact synch-ronism of action of the successive mechanisms operating upon the book ries the books continuously through the ma- ($111116; A particularobject is to avoi'd'a cer; tain drawbackin' machines of the class 're- V fer-red" to which may be explained as follows.

lVhen a series or train of book clanips o r other iorm of book conveyor is driven contlnu'ously through'a sprocket mechanism,'analog'ous for exampleto; that shown in my said prior patent, 'a slight periodic or regular variation or weaving movement of travel occurs. 1 This isqdue to the fact that the actuation ofthe conveyor by the driving sprocket, as seen in the. prior patent, involves a slight but una-e voidable variation in advancing -movement due to the slight change of radius'ot the sprocket wheel at-and between the bearing points of the sprocket wheel the conveyor traveling; slightly faster When the" line'of drive is tangent toa' bearing point ofthis sprocket Wheel than when half Way between two Isuch'bearing points." Thus, notwithstandlng a" steady ilnlform-source of drive ofthe sprocket wheelfthe books'will' depart regularly from'a uniform o'raverage speed.

I lfnowany of the operating mechanisms,

'suehas the cover applying mechanism, is actuated in time'with' the-cont nuous travel vary slightlyas described. There will result relative longitudinal"movements, first,

forwardly and then backwardly, betweenthe.

operating mechanism and the book, which although slight in extent, are undesirable and likely to produce slightlackof coordina- 'tion or register in thebinding'or covering actions. e I V The present invention overcomes thedescribed drawback without sacrificing the ad,-

vantages of the sprocket driven type of book 7 conveyor. Exact synchronism of travel is attained with the present. inventionby giving to the cover applier or other operating mechanism the same periodic variation-of action or motion as that of the'train of books, namely bykconnections from the source of drive operating independently of the book conveyor but delivering the same variable 'motion. or action, this being herein illustrated as'working through a sprocketeor;

equivalent delivering the same periodicvariation as that ofthe sprocket which drivesthe book conveyor. This improvementxis herein illustratively shown as embodied in a c'ombination "wherein are two similar sprocket Wheels, intime with each-other, andboth' driven from thesamepower source or shaft,

and bothhaving the same'number. of points.

or bearings, one of them driving the book "conveyortor clamp: train and the otherdriving: the cover applying or other operating 'mechanism. -.Spe'cifically there is preferably an endless train of book clamps advanced .continuously by the firstv sprocket-,- and an endless or rotary operating device or train" of operating devices continuously advanced in exact synchronism with the variable book travel.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out-in the hereinafter following description of an illustrative embodiment thereof or will'be understood to those skilled in theart to which the 06 I invention pertains}. To the attainment got such objects and advantages the present invention consists in the novel bookbinding or covering machine and the novel features of combination, arrangement, operation, mechanism and detail herein. illustrated or described.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. l is a general top plan view of a bookbinding machine in which the present invention is embodied.

Fi 2 is a similar plan viewbut one larger scale. of a portion of the machine, with certam parts broken away tor'purp'o'ses ofbetter illustration.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the elements nal drive Sllfllfil] 13 which may in turn be; driven with reduction of speedirom another shaft driven by motor or otherwise. At the right hand end of the drive shaft is shown a bevel pinion l4 engaging a large'b'eve'l gear 15 secured on-an upright shaft 16 which also carries the'mai-n sprocket wheel 17 turning in a horizontal plane and having a convenient number, as six, bearing points er recesses 18 for engagement by the conveyor or clamp train.

The conveyor is shown as composed of an endless series of connected clamps 201 articulated by a series of upright pins 21 which connect or hinge together the individual clamps, and each pin having upper and lower rolls 22 running in the clamp guide rails 11 throughout the greater part'of their travel, but engaging the recesses 18 of the main 5 sprocket wheel when passing around the right hand end of the machine. Each clamp may consist of an inner clamping plate and an outer plate 2 lenclosing between them the book B which is ield upright with its back downward. As is usual in the type of clamp trainmaehine of s'aidpatent the outer plates 24 may be provided with guide rods 25 which extend inwardly and are surrounded by coil springs 26 which operate to close each clamp, there being also a stud 27 arranged to be thrust outwardly for opening each clamp to receive or discharge each book and released to clamp each book.

The abovedescribed clamp train conveyor and the sprocket means for driving it are substantially well known and illustrated in my said prior patent. The drive shaft turns with uniform motion and so does themain sprocket from which the clamp train takes its motion. This mode of driving a conveyor ,ne'ath the bottom rail 35.

in number.

is highly efficient and desirable but incurs the periodic variation of driven speed of travel of the clamps and books as already described. There will hereinbelow be described an illustrative mechanism for operating upon the successive books, namely for applying.

covers to the back edges of the books and for pressing the same firmly into place. Ac-

cording to'this invention, instead of driving the operating mechanism with uniform 'ac- --tion from the drive shaft it is actuatedwith the same periodic variation as the clamp and book travel, namely by means of a second or auxiliary driving sprocketwheel in an arrangement synchronizing with the first sprocket wheel and conveyor travel.

The illustrative means for applying and pressingcovers G to the backs of the books B is shownas comprising a series or endless train of platens or press bars 29, inter connected and arranged to come into operative position, travel along with the successive books while acting on them, and thence returningin an endless path for repetition of action. Each pressure platen or bar 29 is shown as having slanted extensions 30 at travelingin an orbit or path whichis vertical or at right angles to the horizontal orbit of the clamptrain, although this particular relation of orbits is not essential. Each connecting pin 31 between the two pressure bars .is provided with rollers 32 and these rollers are shown as guided in their path, namely along a top guide rail 33, a curved left. guide rail 34 and-a bottom rail 35, supported on the machine frame or braced by means of hrackets'36. At its right hand end the train otpressers 29 passes off the top guide rail 33 and thence around a largespr'ocket wheel 38 from which in turnthe 'press'ers passbe- The auxiliary sprocket 38 is preferably of the same size asthe main sprocket wheel 17 and both of the sprocket wheels have the same number of bearing points or recesses, for example six Also the two sprocket wheels are arranged in synchronism, that is to say each bearing recess receives roller at the same point of time, as will be clear by comparing the positions of the two sprockets in Figs. 1 and 3., In each of these figures the sprocket wheel is in such position as to deliver drive atthe minim-inn speed, slightly and rollers arrive at the respective points of tangency. By this arrangement the periodic variation of motion in the clamp train is of the presser bartrain. Thereforeduring the operation whereby each presse-r bar apand carries a large bevel geartl whichin turn plies each covertoeachbook and thereafter presses it forcibly in place, there will be not the slightest relative motion between'the book and the bar, thereby any inaccuracy or injury ,t othebook or coveris avoided. W V

The auxiliary-sprocketwheel 38 may be driven in uniform, mannerin time with the main sprocket wheel as follows. The auxiliary sprocket is. shown mounted on a transverse shaft/l which. extends inwardly engages 'ajbevel pinion42 on the drive shaft chronism.

13', the 'gear'ratios being such as to deliver identical rotation togthe two sprocket wheels. Thereby, asalready stated, the travel of the book clamps and books and the'a'ction' or movement ofthe devices actin'g' uponhthe f books will be in precise harmony and. syn- In'orde r to supplyfeed covers to be applied and pressed. to successive books .by the platens or bars 29 any suitable sheetfeeding mechanism may be employed, 1- delivering by means of tapes orsprocket chains to the applying position. Eachcover'G imay move 'into applying position supported-0n a system of fixed strips or platesl indicated in Fig. '5,'as is wellunderstoodq The actual Y fee'ding or-advancing of the successive covers may be by apair of opposite feed chains 46,

carrying :upstanding pins 47 spacedapart longitudinallyto correspond with the spacing ofthe clamp train-J From the left side of Fig. 3 each'cover feeding chain 46 is shownas j passing over a; supporting sprocket wheel .48 and thence forwardlythrough the applying position to a' sprocket wheel 49 on shaft. 50 around which the chain passes for its return travel.

comes into pressing contact with the book. back: and therebyv forces the cover into adher- 7 ing contact-with the book, afterwhich. each It will be understood that atthe side 7 of the machine a book has been fedinto each clamp of therclamp train, ther'clamp being thereupon closed upon the b'ook,and at a later point the back of the book being supplied with adhesive. 'Eachcover therefore when applied to the back of the corresponding book adheres and is carried forward with the book, while the upstanding feed pins147 on the sprocket chains 46 1 disengage the covers."

The-covers are not hereinapplied to the books by the feed chains, which merelybring the covers into applying position. Each cover'is'applied to its book by the correspond- 'ing platen or presser bar 29. It willbe clearly seen from Fig; .3 that each ofthesebar's comes up into applying position with a swinging motion around its foremost end or .'p1vot;p1n.' i As the rear'most'pivot p npasses from the curved guide rail 34. on to the straight horizontal top guide rail. 33, the bar the moment of. application.

pres'ser bar continues in uninterrupted press:

ing'contact through an extended length of travel, illustrated as substantially three book clamp lengths.

-; As an additional feature hereof provision V is madefor causing advancing feed of the covers at a speed and in a manner harmonizing with'that of theplatens or presser bars,

andtherefore in synchronism also ,with'thetravel of the books, thereby insuring that the covers and books will be in exact registerat This result is preferably obtained by mechanical driving engagement between the train of bars 29 and the cover feeding chains 46. For this purpose there is shown an intermediate or short sprocket chain 52 located horizontally slightly outwards of the path of i the presser bars. This local or'connecting chain is shown engaged around a sprocket wheel 53 on'the same. Shaft50 with the sprocket wheels48. -'The other end of the chain 52 passes around an idle sprocket wheel "54'; Outstanding from the'sprocket chain 52 are a series 0f fingers 55 spaced apart atan I amount equal to the spacingaof the presser bars; *Each presser bar is shown as provided with an outwardly extending lug 56 adapted to engage behind one ofthe fingers 55. In

this way the varying travel of the presser bars 4 is communicated through the lugs 56 and fingers 55 to the chain 52; This tra-ns'mis- S1011; will be positive and continuous, since *as the presser bar's. through'the sprocket wheel 53 and shaft 50 rotates the sprocket wheels49 and thereby advances the cover feedingchains L6 inexact harmony with'the travel of the bars. I

Thereby not only are the cover applying operations and the pressing of the book backs 'maintained in exact synchronism with the 1f :travel of the books,'but also thefeed of the a covers to the'platensor bars. and the positionmgof the covers durlng theapplying action are maintainedin the samesynchronism.

step of cover breaking may be 'per- H formed in cooperation with'the" back pressin'g action of the'bars 29 and simultaneously therewith; The cover breaking'may be performed'in different ways, for example by de-.,

'livering to-eachtraveling book amomentary squeezing or shaping blow by straight jaws or plates operating from the opposite sides,

on theprinciples disclosed in my said prior Patent,. 1,248,252.' 'On' t-he other'hand the straight breaker jaws can be brought forcibly 1 to thesides of the book. above the" presser bars and held there while traveling forward- 1y during a substantial extent of trayelof the book. Thismay. be done either by providi g a sepa rate :p ir o cov br akillg 11' Wi in association with each oneof the presser bars or platens 29 and causing each of them by cams, rollers. or the'llke to be moved against the book and held pressed there during the synchronous travel of the book, the bar and the jaws. In lieu of using aseries of pairs of jaws such breaking-action may be bya single pair of jaws moved inwardly against the book above the presserbar, moved Of these-modes of cover breaking, the one shown in prior Patent 1,248,252 is herein disclose-d. There is no substantial disadvantage due to lack of'coordinatio'n between the variable travel of the book and the cover breaking action due to the fact that the latter is .in the nature of a momentary or sudden pressure or blow, the opposite jaws nottravcling forward to any'substantial extent with the book.

The cover flu'ea king mechanism is best shown in 2, 3, and 4.- and further-tie tails may be ascertained from said prior Patent 1,248,252. llhe two opposite breaker jaws "or plates are mounted upon opposite longitudinal bars 61, each of which rests upon the top side of two cranks 62, so that each of the two jaws is adapted to undergo a ci'rcular motion without departing from paral-l leli-sm with the advancing travel of the book. Each of the two pairs of sr'ipporting cranks (S2 is mounted upon vertical shafts 68 turning in bearings64 and carrying bevel gears 65. at their lower ends engaged by bevel gears 66 mounted on transverse shaft-s 67 in such manner as to give opposite directions of circular movement to the two breaker jaws. The two transverse shaft-s 67 are, by? a set of gears 68, interconnected with each other and with an additional. pair of transverse shafts '69, one ich is provided with "a bevel gear 70 en g a similar gear 71 on the drive shaft In this way the cover ln' 'eaking mechanism operated from the drive shaft in ccoi din-ation with the other elements of the teeiz stamping eis'aents, naveungin pa auel There has thusbeen described a bookbind-i ing or covering machine or apparatus constructed and operating on the prlnciples of the present invention and attaining the recited vobjectsand advantages; Since 'many matters of combination, arrangement, operation, mechanism and detail may be variously modified without departing from the principles of the invention it is not intended to limit the latter to such matters except to the extent set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is: i V I 1. In a book binding'or covering machine, a traveling conveyor for advancing a succession of books to beoperated upon, a means for operating upon the successive books during travel, a common drive member or shaft, connections foradvancing the conveyor comprising a first sprocket wheel and rigid link follower between the drive member and conveyor, and connections for actuating the operating means comprising, between the drive member and operating means, 7 a second sprocket wheel, and a second rigid link follower engaged thereby in an actuating relationship timed correspondingly to that of the first sprocket and follower, whereby periodic variations of conveyor travel speed due to the action of the first sprocket wheel are substantially neutralized by synchonous periodic variations in the action of the operating means.

2. In a book binding or covering machine, a traveling conveyor composed of an endless train of circulating articulated clamps for holding'and advancing a succession of books to be operated upon, a means for operating up the successive books during travel, a common 'drlv e member or shaft, connections for advancing the conveyor comprlsing a first sprocket. wheel and rigid link follower beresponding timed relationship,"whereby the 1 conveyor travel and the action of the operating means aresynchronized.

3. In a book binding 'orcovering machine, a traveling conveyor composed of an endless train iof'circi-ilating articulated clamps for holding and advancing a succession of books to be operated upon, a means for-open :at-ing upon the successive books during travel, composed of an endlesstram ofc rculat'ing"operatingidevi-ces a common drive member or shaft, connections from the drive i member for advancing the conveyor comprising a sprocket wheel directly engaging. the

articulated conveyor clamp, and connections from the drive member for actuating the operating means comprising a second'sprocket wheel directly engagingthe train of operating devices, said first and second sprocket wheels being engaged in corresponding timed relationship with theparts driven by them respectively, whereby periodic variations of conveyor travel speed due tothe action of the first sprocket wheel are substantially neutralized by synchronous periodic variations in the action of the operating means.

4; A machine as in claim 1' andwherein I the two sprocketwheels have the same effective diameters and numbers of engaging points, thereby to cause identical variations 7 the sprocket wheels have equivalent diameters and numbers of engaging points and the V with and disengagementfrom the'trains of of traveland action in the conveyor and operating means.

5. A machlne as n claim 3 and wherein latter are timed for simultaneous engagement clamps and devices respectively.

In testimony whereoftI have affixed signature hereto.

- ALFRED BREDENBERG.- 

